Interesting Places to Visit An introduction to:

To learn more about the places mentioned in this booklet, visit the North Mountain Park Nature Water of the Center where the following Interpretive Cards are on display.

North Mountain Park Nature Center

North Mountain Park Nature Center A division of the Ashland Parks and Recreation Department 620 N Mountain Ave ~ Ashland, OR 541.488.6606 ~ www.northmountainpark.org 28 Version 1: April 2009 1940s: Ashland builds a secondary wastewater treatment plant. About this booklet 1950s: Passenger service discontinued between Portland and Ashland on the Southern Pacific Railroad.

1952: Concrete cover for Crowson Reservoir constructed to protect the purity of the This booklet is one piece of the North Mountain Park Nature Center’s interpretation of the use of stored water. Ashland City Council changes name of Reeder Gulch Dam to the local resources. The area represented by the term “local” includes the Rogue Valley of Earl Hosler Dam as Hosler retires. southwestern , with an emphasis on the Ashland area. 1955: USFS puts Ashland Creek Watershed under multiple use management. Roads

constructed and logging operations continue until 1965. Flood. While every attempt has been made to ensure accuracy, this booklet is not meant to be a formal 1959: Bear Creek closed to water withdrawals due to over-appropriation. work but is rather to be used by educators and others seeking an introduction to the topic of local 1960 : Talent Project enlarged bringing Hyatt, Howard Prairie and Emigrant reservoirs water use. It is hoped that readers of this booklet will be inspired to use this information to help to current storage capacity. Mt. Ashland Ski Resort opens. make decisions that will enhance the livability of the Rogue Valley for both its people and its 1962: Flood Control Act authorizes construction of Lost Creek, Applegate and Elk wildlife now and into the future. Creek Dams.

1964: Water treatment plant updated to high rate filtration system and increased We invite any and all comments to this document, which will be updated periodically in an effort capacity to 8 million gallons per day. Flood. to reflect the most accurate information available. 1966: Ashland buys another large chunk of TID to augment Ashland’s supply during

the summer months either by pumping it into the water treatment plant or by Special thanks to the following organizations and individuals who helped with research and releasing it into Ashland Creek. Reeder Gulch Reservoir dredged. 57,000 cubic supplying photographs and graphics: Historical Society, Rogue Valley Council yards of silt had accumulated as a result of the 1964 flood. of Governments, Jackson County Parks and Recreation, City of Ashland Public Works Depart- 1971: Medford completes secondary wastewater treatment facility on Kirtland Road. ment, Medford City Councilor Ben Truwe, and Photographer Robert Mumby, and Photographer Ashland pumping station to carry TID water to the treatment plant below Hosler Morgan Cottle. Dam completed.

1972: Clean Water Act sets national water quality goals and addresses point and non- point pollution sources. Resultant monitoring shows Bear Creek has excessive fecal bacteria (indicating human/animal waste in the water), sediment, algae, low, erratic flows and high temperatures. Sources cited 1974: Flood knocks out water filtration plant in Ashland. 1977: Ashland purchases temporary pipeline and pumps to carry TID water to Atwood, Kay “Where Living Waters Flow: An Overview of Ashland’s Water Source,” 1998. treatment plant. Dittmer, Eric Document for the Bear Creek Valley Water Forum, January 2004. 1980s: Oregon, along with other states, prioritizes streams with excess nutrient levels. Reid, Ian “Summary of Changes in Fish Populations in the Bear Creek Watershed and Bear Creek selected for remediation. The Endangered Species Act raises aware- Contacts,” July 7, 2003. ness (and controversy) about certain declining species such as salmonids. Rogue Basin Coordinating Council 1990s: Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) for nutrients established for Ashland and Emigrant Lake Resource Mgmt Plan BLM/Jackson Co. Parks agriculture by the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to reduce algae RVCOG Bear Creek Watershed Riparian Planting Plan and increase dissolved oxygen. Local Agricultural Water Management Plan Fattig, Paul — Mail Tribune adopted. Ashland begins major upgrade of its treatment facility. Damian Mann — Mail Tribune, “Beyond Lithia Water” 1995: Renovation of Ashland’s Water Treatment Plant. 1997: Flood! Discussion of TAP line begins (water line intertie from Medford). Acknowledgements: This booklet was written and formatted by staff and contractors of the 2000s: Concerns raised about water imported from the Klamath Basin. Additional Ashland Parks and Recreation Department. TMDL’s are proposed for the entire Basin that will further impact Bear Creek.

2 27 A Timeline of Local Historic Water Events Table of Contents

1851: First water right claimed in Oregon by Jacob Wagner on Wagner Creek in Talent. The Bear Creek Watershed ...... 4-5 Gold discovered near Jacksonville. 1852: Abel Helman and Eber Emery arrive in Ashland, build sawmill on Ashland Creek. 1854: Hargadine Ditch constructed. Ashland’s flour mill constructed on Ashland Creek. Historic conditions of the Bear Creek Watershed ...... 6-7 1856: Million Ditch constructed. Native Americans marched to reservation. 1858: Helman Ditch constructed. First people and their use of water ...... 8 1859: Oregon becomes 33rd state. 1861: Ashland flood. Anderson Mining Ditch located. Trappers, miners & settlers enter the valley ...... 9 1864: Smith-Myer-Roper Ditch constructed. 1867: Ashland’s woolen mill constructed on Ashland Creek. Pioneer settlement brings new water needs...... 10-11 1874: Ashland’s poor sanitation and water shortages leads to town charter. 1885: Hydraulic mining operation begins work on Ashland Creek. Population growth and new water systems...... 12 1893: Creation of Ashland Forest Reserve to protect the city’s municipal water supply. 1887: Water-piping system for fire protection completed. Railroad reaches Ashland from north and south — golden spike driven in on April 16th. The arrival of water districts...... 13 1890: Ashland’s waterworks constructed - city piping system replaces old ditches, open reservoir on upper Granite Street, and electric power plant constructed. Ashland Local springs and mineral waters ...... 14-15 becomes the first town in Jackson County to have electric power. 1899: Oregon passes a statewide ban on beaver trapping. Expanding and improving water delivery systems ...... 16-17 1904: Ashland city takes over power and light plant; city purchases water rights from flour mill and Iron Works. The valley’s water systems grow more complex ...... 18 1905: Ashland Electric Power and Light Company shuts down their power plant. 1909: Ashland Municipal Electric Light plant opens. Dams and small reservoirs These same systems still exist today ...... 19 constructed on the east and west forks of Ashland Creek to divert creek flow for power production and domestic use in the high elevation sections of the city. Water in the valley: too little vs. too much...... 20-21 City purchases Anderson Mining Ditch. 1914: Passage of a bond issue designed to pipe Lithia water and other mineral waters into Lithia Park and the plaza. Salmon: concern for water quantity and quality ...... 22-23 1923: Ashland City Council votes to acquire permanent stored water from the Talent Irrigation District (TID). Water quality issues today ...... 24-25 1924: Contract for TID to construct Emigrant Dam and reservoir. 1927: Medford develops new domestic water supply in Big Butte Springs. Construction A timeline of local historic water events...... 26-27 of Crowson Hill Reservoir. 1928: Hosler Dam constructed with the resulting Reeder Reservoir supplies Ashland Interesting places to visit...... 28 with domestic water. 1929: City and Forest Service craft agree that Ashland Creek Watershed is to be protected and managed for domestic water use. Timber harvest halted.

26 3 Issue: Sedimentation The Bear Creek Watershed Sediments, or suspended particles, cloud the water and make it hard for fish and other aquatic organ-

isms to obtain oxygen. Increased sedimentation

comes from a variety of sources including hillside erosion from road building and use, development, and inputs from impervious surfaces such as parking lots, roads, and roofs.

Solution: Since much of the problem is associated with inputs into storm drains, much of this effort is focused on educating the public and those in the construction industry so they will prevent sediment from entering storm drains and streams. Sediment Ponds, such as the ones at North Mountain Park, are also being constructed in key locations throughout the watershed.

Issue: Non-point sources of pollution While much has been done to stem the destructive point-source inputs of the 1950’s and 60’s, non-point sources including pesticides, fertilizers, detergent, domestic animal waste, and leaking septic tanks remain problematic.

Solution: This effort is being conducted on a variety of levels with everything from fencing livestock out of stream corridors to investing in organic gardening programs.

Exploring the history of the Bear Creek Wa- tershed provides insight into the challenges that the watershed faces and the goals that have been established to meet these challenges. There has been demonstrated progress to date, but much more needs to be done. Because the Bear Creek Watershed covers such a large, diverse area, there are currently in place numerous sub-basin management plans that fit together in the larger effort of improving watershed health. While some of the efforts being made toward this end are mandated by law, others go above and beyond what is required. It is readily apparent that the effort to restore the Bear Creek Watershed will take an enormous and continuous effort involving municipalities, larger agencies, and individual citizens. 4 25 The Bear Creek Watershed is defined by 35-mile Bear Creek which flows in a Water Quality Issues Today northwest direction through the bottom of the 391 square mile valley. Bear Creek, which originates at the confluence of Neil Creek and Emigrant Creek just below Emigrant Lake, has approximately 21 tributaries that flow down from the volcanic Just as the problems related to loss of salmon and their habitat are interrelated so Cascade Mountains that rise to the east and the granitic Klamath-Siskiyou range to are the solutions. Today, a variety of agencies, businesses, citizen groups, and in- the west. The lowest point in the Bear Creek Valley is where Bear Creek meets the dividuals are working together towards the goal of restoring Bear Creek and the Rogue River at 1,160 feet. The highest point is Mt. Ashland which rises to 7,533 surrounding watershed. City and regional planners are recognizing the problems feet and averages approximately 280 cumulative inches of snowfall a year. and are attempting to mitigate them while at the same time, being able to still pro- Snowpack for the Klamath-Siskiyou Mountains is monitored by the Rogue vide adequate supplies of water for domestic and agricultural uses. There are sev- River-Siskiyou National Forest Ranger District. The snow serves as a bank of eral factors that are currently being identified as main areas of concern for the frozen water augmenting summer stream flows and reservoir storage. The health of Bear Creek and its associated tributaries but there are also corresponding snowpack is usually at its highest point in late March and early April. solutions.

The Bear Creek Valley, at an elevation of roughly 1500 ft., is located in a Issue: Decreased water quantity transitional area between four very different climate zones: Pacific Maritime to Because the total amount of the west, Oregon High Desert to the east, Northern Temperate to the north and water rights allocated to Bear California Mediterranean to the south. Creek exceeds the amount of

water in the creek, water flow is Because there are two mountain ranges between the Bear Creek Valley and the often compromised. coast, Pacific-driven storms lose much of their precipitation before arriving.

This can be clearly seen by comparing the average rainfall of Brookings, Oregon, Solution: This is a multi-faceted which is located 74 miles west of Medford and receives about 78 inches of rain approach which includes the per year, to that of the interior Bear Creek Valley, which receives 23 inches on purchase of water rights, increas- average. Most of the valley’s precipitation falls between the months of November ing the efficiency of irrigation delivery, and educating and enticing citizens in the and January, but cool wet weather often continues well into May. pursuit of water conservation.

Summers, which are typically dry from July through September, see average highs Issue: Increased water temperature around 87º F with common highs spiking at 95º F. Although winter lows fall to an Anadromomous fish (salmon and steelhead) average of 22º F in December, it is unusual to have snow persist below 3,000 feet. become compromised and often die if the

water rises above 60 degrees F. Factors lead- The valley’s growing season of 170 ing to increased water temperature include days begins on April 30th. Since the lack of riparian cover or shade along the turn of the century, the orchard in- stream corridor, reduced water flow, and in- dustry has played a prominent role puts from treatment plants and private ponds. in the valley’s water history. The

climate is also conducive to grow- Solution: There are numerous efforts under- ing grapes, which may well impact way to increase the shade canopy along Bear the role of the valley’s water for Creek and many of the tributaries, many of years to come. which focus on the reduction of non-native species and the planting of native trees and shrubs. Other efforts are focusing on ensuring that inputs from outside sources do not exceed acceptable temperature limits.

24 5

including inputs of drugs from treatment plants, inputs of chemicals from pesti- Historic Conditions of the Bear Creek Watershed cides, and factors related to the introduction of non-native species such as bull- frogs and carp in the water, and invasive plants such as Himalayan blackberry Two hundred years ago, the Bear Creek Valley looked very different than it does along the shoreline. today. With the Cascade and Klamath-Siskiyou Mountains framing the valley, Bear Creek and its many tributaries and natural features created a very different Recognizing these issues, a number hydrology than what we are familiar with today. of habitat improvement projects have been undertaken in recent Before Euro-American contact years with the primary goal being and settlement in the early- to to restore adequate flow quantities mid-1800s, Bear Creek and its and patterns historically present for surrounding floodplain would salmonid habitat. At the top of the have been a very dynamic, list, recent studies have shown that biologically rich environment. Bear Creek needs an additional The lower reaches of the 50,000 AF to meet instream needs tributaries, along with Bear even during normal water years. Creek itself, would have Ideally, this additional water would By the time the TID water is turned off in meandered back and forth result in a more natural flow pattern, early fall, Bear Creek, which has been across wide floodplains especially during the critical scoured to bedrock, can be reduced containing numerous seasonal summer irrigation season. Other to a trickle. wetlands. Beaver activity would efforts include restoring riparian have been prolific in low-lying habitat through temperature areas with up to 10,000 beaver reductions (increased canopy and flows) and allowing Bear Creek to return to a living in Bear Creek and the surrounding tributaries. Beaver dams created numer- more natural meandering nature. ous side channels and wetlands. These wetlands, acting like a sponge, absorbed and held creek water before slowly releasing it over time. These wetlands would As a result of the many ongoing projects addressing have also slowed down the speed of the water, allowing nutrients and these and other issues, Bear Creek is no longer rated particles to settle out. The slower-moving water would have helped among the worst in Oregon and overall water quality recharge groundwater, leading to stronger flows during the summer. has improved. Today, Medford is one of a handful of Slow-moving areas would have been thick with emergent plants such as metropolitan areas in the Pacific Northwest where fall cattail and bulrush. Other wetland plants, such as dogbane, camas and Chinook spawn within city limits. A lesser number of ipos, were also common. Stream flows were seasonally influenced by Coho salmon and good numbers of storms and drought, but in general, water was plentiful during the wet summer and winter steelhead also use winters, and less so during the hot, dry summers. Bear Creek for spawning and rearing. The creek also hosts populations of The stream bottom itself would have been covered with gravel and resident rainbow trout and several cobbles, allowing salmon to dig deep nests, or redds, to lay their eggs. warm water fish species. Urban Fall spawning brought Chinook salmon in such abundance that they development, water management and blackened the stream bottom. One historical photograph shows a sign public education may ultimately reading “Please scare off the salmon before crossing the stream” at a Camas decide the future of native fish in the ford on Bear Creek where North Mountain Park is currently located. Bear Creek Watershed.

6 23

Salmon: Concern for Water Quantity and Quality The habitat was also conducive for Coho Salmon, summer and winter steelhead, fall and spring Chinook, as well as smallscale suckers, speckled dace and lam- prey. At the end of their life cycle, the decaying carcasses of the adult salmon For over 150 years, pioneer emigrants and the settlers that followed have been would have provided abundant and necessary nutrients for other organisms living manipulating the natural water systems of the Bear Creek Valley. While all of the in the creek. various canals, wells, pipes, pumps, dams, reservoirs, and drains have helped sup-

ply clean water to a burgeoning population, these engineering feats have also In addition to the abundant wetland vegetation, the come at price. Few streams of the Bear Creek Valley are left to meander freely as riparian area would have contained a variety of trees they once did and habitat for waterfowl, beaver and especially salmon have been and shrubs, including big leaf maple, cottonwood, alder, greatly compromised. and willow with a spattering of large conifers such as

Ponderosa Pine. These native trees would have provided In addition to historical photos and accounts of stream bottoms running black with abundant shade during hot summer months while spawning salmon, a big indication of the former health of the salmon run was the insulating water temperatures during the winter. The fact that Ashland had a salmon cannery for years along Ashland Creek. However, thick riparian buffer would have also provided a wide, today, it is fairly difficult to find spawning salmon. The loss of salmon cannot be protective corridor for a variety of animals. Forested attributed to a single issue, but the lack of water in the creek certainly isn’t helping riverbanks are important to mammals and birds as they their plight. While the irrigation journey up and down the river during daily districts put extra water into Bear Creek movements and seasonal migrations. These during the summer from Emigrant Res- areas would have been home to mammals ervoir, they also remove that water in such as fox, raccoon, bobcat, deer, bear several places, leaving a dearth of water and even wolf. In addition, a variety of wet- by the time the creek enters the Rogue River. land birds and waterfowl including ducks, There are actually enough water rights attributed to Bear Creek that if they were geese, and heron would have flourished. all put to use, there would not be a drop of water left in the creek during the sum- There also would have been significant mer. While this does not usually happen, the flows often become so low by the populations of amphibians and reptiles time the salmon are ready to head up in the early fall that the fish can barely including Red-Legged Frogs, Western Pond Turtles, and various species swim. of salamanders.

An associated repercussion of the lack of water is a dangerous increase in tem- From the stream itself to the wetlands to the riparian corridor, it is easy perature. Salmon are not evolved to live, and in fact will often perish, in streams to see a complex mosaic of various niches filled by birds, mammals, that are warmer than about 60 degrees. Bear Creek temperatures are consistently reptiles, amphibians, insects and fish. These animals’ specific adaptations, which warmer than this by late summer. Part of the problem with the warm temperatures include webbed feet, gills, waterproof feathers, long legs, thin, breathable skin, have to do with an associated lack of oxygen but there is also a connection be- insulative fur, snorkel-like breathing apparatuses, allow them to not only survive, tween warm water and harmful bacteria. but to contribute to the health of the riparian ecosystem and watershed. Similarly,

the plants that occupy these sites have special adaptations for this unique environ- Other ways that the streams of the Bear Creek valley have become compromised ment including buoyant leaves, free-floating roots, and varying reproductive meth- have to do with basic water features. Salmon need gravels to spawn, deep pools ods depending on whether the surrounding conditions are wet or dry. Plants such to rest, overhanging trees to provide nutrients, and cool, clean water. All of these as Ponderosa Pines, alders, cattails, bulrushes, and willows are some examples of features have been compromised by floodplain development, stream channeliza- those that have been reintroduced or specifically encouraged at North Mountain tion, irrigation draws, sedimentation from roads and construction, and pollution. Park as part of the park’s restoration effort. There are also several unknown impacts that have most likely affected salmon,

22 7

As of 2009, the Ashland city council had chosen not to connect to the TAP, rely- First People and Their Use of Water ing instead on increased water conservation measures to ensure adequate sup- plies. For thousands of years, the Bear Creek Watershed supported small bands of Native Americans who traveled throughout the region to hunt and gather food and materi- The Medford Water Commission expects that, with current population projections als. These tribes named Bear Creek “Si’kuptat”, meaning dirty water. The creek and proactive water conservation, water supplies will be adequate for the Bear was seen as dirty because of its turbidity from the sediment it carried. Creek Valley through the year 2050.

Their permanent, winter villages were located in the lowest reaches Too Much: Flooding is nothing new to of the valley along the main stem the Bear Creek Valley, in fact Ashland of Bear Creek and its major Creek is highly prone to flooding due tributaries. One such village was to the unstable granitic content of the located along Ashland Creek near rocks that make up the mountains present day Lithia Park. above town. What is new is the amount of damage that results from Locating their villages along steams these events. The reasons valley today was important not only for the are many. One of the obvious reasons convenience it afforded in terms of is the fact that the majority of the providing easy access to water for population of the valley is situated on, cooking and cleaning, but also or very near, a floodplain. Flooding for access to an abundance of has also been exacerbated by the fact North Mountain Park’s Native American During the flood of 1997, water of Ashland water-dependent resources. that Bear Creek has been channelized, village replicates one that would have Creek flooded the downtown plaza. One of the most important of these which is not in its nature. It is interest- historically been found on Ashland Creek. resources was fish, including the ing to note that Bear Creek used to salmon, steelhead, and lamprey flow under the highway near the Jack- that could be trapped or speared. The creek’s otter and beaver populations son Hot Springs. Around the 1960s when the highway was straightened, Bear provided not only food, but their skins were also used in the making of water- Creek was “moved” to the other side of the highway. As a result, during the flood resistant clothing, storage containers and quivers. event of 1997, as the creek returned to its former channel, it deposited enough sediment in the Jackson Wellsprings pool to almost fill it in. Local tribes, including the Shasta who lived along Ashland Creek, also used many riparian and wetland plants. Bullrush, for example, was used to make a variety of Other reasons that flooding seems objects including sleeping mats, temporary shelters, and duck decoys. Willow, to be getting worse has to do with another important wetland plant, was impervious surfaces. Instead of harvested, processed, and woven into soaking into the ground during a ornate caps and baskets. Some of high rain event, all of the water that these baskets were so water tight falls on roads and parking lots is that they could be used for cooking. shunted into storm drains and then Camas and other water-loving directly into the nearest stream, bulbs provided important sources increasing flows precipitously. of carbohydrates.

8 21 Water in the Valley: Too Little vs. Too Much Trappers, Miners & Settlers Enter the Valley

The first Euro-Americans to enter the area in 1826 were fur trappers working for Too Little: While irrigation demands continue to be an issue, providing an ade- the British Hudson's Bay Company. These men trapped hundreds and possibly quate supply of domestic water also remains challenging, especially during the thousands of beaver and other fur-bearing mammals in an effort to carry out the hot, dry summers. As an example, water use in Ashland increases from roughly Brits plan to “trap-out the west” and deter American exploration. 2.0 million gallons/day (mgd) in the winter, to peak daily use of over 7.0 mgd in

the summer - a 375% increase! To augment the water that flows into Reeder Following on the heels of the trappers, gold miners came by the hundreds when Reservoir from the upper gold was discovered near Jacksonville in 1851. The miners began searching for Ashland Watershed, the the gold using the simple gold pan, but were soon scouring the streams with pick city is still contracting with and axe, and later with enormous jets of water. Because the gold was first ob- the Talent Irrigation Dis- served in the waters that flowed from the quartz-rich Klamath-Siskiyou Mountains, trict for additional water. miners quickly set up temporary camps along these streams. Homes were soon

constructed along the valleys main tributaries and with them claims to all- While this seems like a important water rights. The first known water right in Oregon was filed by Jacob protective measure, Wagner, also in 1851, near present-day Talent. The following year, Wagner built because both systems are the state’s first irrigation ditch at the junction of Wagner and Bear Creeks. dependent on the winter

rains and snows, in lean The growth of Ashland had much with to water years both Reeder do with supporting the mining industry Reservoir and the reser- and voirs that supply TID supplying the nearby town of Jackson- water can run dry. ville with needed supplies. Miners-

turned-settlers, Abel Helman and Unlike Ashland, Medford Eber Emery, built a sawmill near pre- has a very different way of sent-day Lithia Park in 1852. The supplying water to the city. During a drought year, Emigrant Reservoir can go building of a flour mill soon fol- completely dry as it did during the mid 1990’s In 1927, the Medford lowed, and in 1855, Helman estab- water Commission lished the town of Ashland Mills which developed Big Butte he named after his hometown of Ashland, Springs to supply domestic water from water rights on near Mt. Artist’s rendition of Ohio. The heart of the new town was, and still is, McLaughin. This delivery remained adequate for several years, but with the Ashland’s early mills. situated along the banks of Ashland Creek. population surge following world war II, Medford proactively obtained water

rights from the Rogue River and then developed an accompanying delivery sys- In 1856, Robert Hargadine, who had staked an earlier land claim near Ashland tem. Creek, became instrumental in establishing the Ashland Woolen Mill. Like the

other mills, power for the mill came from Ashland Creek. By the late 1990’s, the small city of Talent found itself in such a dire situation

that they had to enact a growth moratorium due to lack of water. To ensure an The woolen mill garnered water through a flume and wooden pipe downstream adequate supply, Talent residents voted to partner on a project called the Talent/ from the flour mill. Fast-flowing water from the creek turned the mill’s large Leffel Ashland/Phoenix Pipe, or TAP. The TAP provides water to the cities of Talent and turbine, creating enough energy for a 58 horsepower engine. The creek had a fall Phoenix from Medford’s two sources of Big Butte Springs and the Rogue River. of 250 feet per lateral mile, and the flume was near the intake. 20 9

Pioneer Settlement Brings New Water Needs These Same Systems Still Exist Today

Some of the first orchard seeds were brought to the Rogue Valley in covered wag- Today, the Bear Creek Watershed is home to over 200,000 people and the quest ons with pioneer families. Because most emigrant families hailed from the Mid- for additional water continues, not only for domestic and irrigation uses, but also west, where fruit trees were numerous, it did not take long for pioneers to begin for recreational uses, fish and wildlife. Water for irrigation remains the major out- growing trees in Oregon. With the climate of the Rogue Valley especially suitable of-stream water use involv- for the growing of apples and pears, families began to favor these trees. By 1860, ing Bear Creek and many numerous small orchards had become established in and around Ashland. of its tributaries. The irriga- tion system is complex, From these early days, residents found involving both withdrawals ways to divert water from nearby and return flows. Currently, streams for home use and to irrigate the three irrigation districts their crops. As was typical with many in the Bear Creek valley streams, ditches from Ashland Creek utilize both stream flow and shunted water to different areas of stored water rights serving town. The Hargadine Ditch almost 40,000 acres during (constructed in1854), the Million Ditch the irrigation season with (1856), the Helman Ditch (1858) and another 30,000 acre feet the Smith-Myer-Roper Ditch of water each year being (1864) were all built for do- imported from Hyatt and mestic and agricultural uses. Howard Prairie Reservoirs The number of commercial pear growers in the valley which are located within has diminished although wine grape production The pioneers who built the Klamath Basin. has increased dramatically. these ditches held some of the earliest water rights on Despite this extensive system of streams, reservoirs, canals, tunnels, and pumps, recent studies have shown that the water districts of the Bear Creek Valley will Early orchards, ranches and irrigation ditches. Ashland Creek. The fair use need an additional 50,000 acre feet of water in order to meet irrigation demands Note the canopy of native grapevines above the ditch. of these rights, and many perceived injustices, often during severe drought conditions. These figures take into account the changes that created intense discord among residents. This system of irrigation ditches and have taken place within the valley as water rights benefited those farmers living close to streams, but, for others, water the number of commercial pear was in short supply. As stream water was siphoned off for human use, salmon growers has diminished at the same populations began to suffer due to a combination of chronically low water levels, time that hobby farms and growing degraded stream conditions and poor water quality. grapes for wine production has increased. Other issues related to im- Through the 1870s, with such a limited means of irri- porting water from the Klamath Basin, gation, farmers primarily grew wheat, grasses and corn the use of chemical moss control in and raised cattle, sheep and pigs. Wheat, which had open ditches, and the loss of orchard never been grown in the Rogue Valley, soon became land to housing developments have as common as it had been back in Helman’s home made the management of irrigation state of Ohio. water increasingly challenging.

10 19 On frontier farms, native plants were cleared in The Valley’s Water Systems Grows More Complex exchange for exotic varieties, and non-native weeds infiltrated the wild lands. This was detrimental to Following World War II, the Bear Creek Valley saw significant growth in popula- streams because native plants help prevent erosion on tion with a corresponding increase in competition for water, especially irrigation streambanks. Other uplands were used to graze live- water. In December of 1953, with about 20,000 acres served by organized irriga- stock, including sheep for the woolen mill, which im- tion districts, a comprehensive plan was drawn to provide even more water for pacted streams, riparian areas, and native plants. As irrigation, power, and recreation. As part of the the population increased, the land along Bear Creek plan, existing features would be used to the ex- and its tributaries was converted from floodplain tent possible, with some canals requiring and wetlands into farms, enlargement. Works to be constructed included roads, homes, and busi- Howard Prairie Dam, Howard Prairie Delivery nesses. The valley floor Canal, Power Canal, Penstock, Green Springs became valuable for com- power plant, the reconstruction of Emigrant merce and agricultural Dam, and extensions of Ashland and West orchards, however irrigation Laterals, collection canals, diversion dams, and to support the new large- drainage works. The plan would provide a scale agricultural interests sufficient water supply for an additional 17,890 was slow to occur. acres of irrigable lands, develop 10,000 kilowatts of power, reduce flood damage, By 1874, despite its beauti- ful setting and growing and enhance recreation opportunities. Ashland’s Woolen Mill (upper left) and rows prosperity, Ashland was One of three main diversions, of Howell Pears at Eden Valley Orchard. TID withdraws water from Bear experiencing serious prob- Creek near Oak Street in Ashland. lems. Poor sanitation, fre- quent fires, muddy, rutted streets and water shortages plagued the town’s 300 resi- Among some of the most popular dents. Livestock ran loose, garbage lay everywhere and outhouses were steeped recreation provided by the project in filth. Storm run-off drained directly into the creek, causing health risks from was the boating and swimming at contaminated streams, polluted wells and stagnant drainage water. Emigrant Lake In addition, Hyatt and Howard Prairie provided Meanwhile, citizens continued to exceptional fishing along with depend on wells or water from the camping and other accommodations. creeks and open ditches. The few wooden pipes installed in 1875 to With completion of the Talent Division, TID, MID and RRVID were intricately tied bring water into the center of town to each other in a complex system of reservoirs and canals that included 7 storage were narrow and leaky. In most sum- dams, 20 diversion dams, and 250 miles of canal. All three districts obtained water mers, the water supply simply ran from Howard Prairie Lake, Hyatt Reservoir, Emigrant Lake, Keene Creek Reservoir, out. Additional problems surfaced in and Bear Creek and its tributaries with TID taking out water near Oak Street in 1885 when a hydraulic mining op- Ashland, MID near Phoenix, and RRVID, taking out water from Bear Creek near eration began work on Ashland Jackson Street in Medford. Four-Mile Lake and Fish Lake also provided a partial Creek above town. water supply to RRVID and MID and Agate Reservoir provided water to RRVID. Anderson Mine on Ashland Creek, 1885.

18 11

Solutions came in the form of a 1926 vote whereby Ashland would build a storage Population Growth and New Water Systems dam in the Ashland canyon, construct a storage reservoir on Crowson Hill and purchase additional water from TID. In 1928, with a holding capacity that would reach 280 million gallons, Reeder The year 1887 saw the driving of the golden spike in Ashland and the completion Reservoir was constructed at the of the railroad from San Francisco to Portland. The arrival of train transportation confluence of the East and West Forks spurred growth in the logging and orchard industries as well as an accompanying of the upper Ashland Creek Water- surge in population. shed. About this same time, Medford

completed construction of Big Butte To ensure enough water for Springs which brought cool, clean its increasing residents, the water from a source near Mt. city of Ashland constructed McLaughlin. By 1930, with updated a dam on Ashland Creek water and sewer facilities, both just above Lithia Park. Ashland and

Medford finally The dam pooled about 1.8 began to see million gallons of water a reduction and is perhaps better in pollution known today as Ashland’s and health 1928: Construction of swimming reservoir. problems that Reeder Reservoir in the

had plagued upper Ashland Creek By the end of the towns for Watershed. the century, years. however, Ash-

land still faced There were still, however, two issues that were Under normal conditions, serious prob- causes of concern, the first one had to do with the Reeder Reservoir has Ashland’s train depot lems related to quality of the water being supplemented through enough flow to allow water and first municipal the distribution the TID. The mayor himself stated that purchasing to spill over the dam and water storage site. and quality of water from the TID had been a failure and a big flow downstream through water. The his- mistake due to the uncertain supply and poor Ashland Creek. By the end of toric ditches quality, issues that still hold true today. The sec- a long hot, summer however, that were be- ond area of concern had to do with the way the this is no longer the case. ing used for domestic use and irrigation were now recognized as a menace to the water from the new Reeder Reservoir was being growth and health of the city. In 1902, a sewer system was planned, but Ashland cleaned. voters defeated the measure. Infectious diseases flourished, forcing city officials to

construct a pest house in the lower part of town to house people sick with typhoid. While the low-tech filtration system worked well under most circumstances, a Doctors and other prominent citizens wrote of the “unspeakably vile” conditions January 1948 flood caused Reeder Reservoir to overflow. So much silt washed which included a detectable stench about town once evening fell. In 1903, Ash- into the system that citizens had muddy water when they turned on their faucets. land voters approved the measure to build a sewer system. It is interesting to note Soon after this flood, Ashland voters approved a water filtration plant along with that early drafts of the sewer system included language that stated the sewage several other upgrades. Fortunately, a consultant’s suggestion to pave the floor of would not be disposed of in Ashland or Bear Creeks, but on ground owned or Ashland Creek as a means of increasing the flow by nearly twenty percent was not leased by the city. included in these improvements.

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Expanding and Improving Water Delivery Systems The Arrival of Water Districts in the Valley

The 1920s saw abundant expansion projects within the newly developed water At the turn of the century, the city was able to purchase several water rights districts. Additional irrigation water became available due to the building of three including those of the flour mill and the iron works and later those of the Ashland new reservoirs, the first of which was Hyatt Reservoir. Electric Power and Light and the Anderson Mining Ditch — one of the most important established water rights on Ashland Creek. These water rights would With a capacity of 16,000 acre-feet of storage and draining play a critical role in supplying water for the city. approximately 12 square miles, Hyatt Reservoir was com- pleted by 1923. By 1910, many lands were still without necessary irrigation water. In an effort to bring water to farmers, A contract for the construction of Emigrant Dam, located and especially fruit growers, water districts were south of Ashland, was awarded in April 1924. When com- established. The development of the districts marked pleted, the 110-foot high concrete thin-arch dam created a an important transition in the way that water was reservoir with a capacity of 8,500 acre-feet and flooded a both perceived and delivered. Prior to this time, the maximum of 230 acres. residents of the valley obtained their water from open diversion ditches for both irrigation and domestic use. Following the formation of the districts, these two needs began to be addressed separately. Irrigation water was soon supplied by the districts, but the municipalities struggled for several years to maintain clean and adequate supplies to their citizens.

Between 1915 and 1921, seven water districts were formed. The largest was the Talent Irrigation District, or TID, which was formed in 1916 to serve residents in Talent and Ashland. The plan was described as the "diversion and use of such un-appropriated waters as may exist in Emigrant, Neil and Ashland Creeks." To deliver water to an anticipated 8,500 acres within the District boundaries, canals Emigrant Dam, would need to be built on both sides of the valley to a point parallel with Phoenix. constructed in 1924. Today, the area’s three major The Medford Irrigation District (MID) was formed in 1917. The District contracted irrigation reservoirs are all to construct Fourmile Dam and the Cascade Canal, and to reconstruct Fish Lake within an easy driving loop. Dam which had been originally constructed by the Rogue River Irrigation District (RRID). While irrigation needs were beginning to be addressed, problems related to the

delivery of clean domestic water throughout the valley persisted. Medford, which By the 1920s, with the help of the Bureau of Reclamation, the TID began to originally took water out of Bear Creek, later diverted water from bring water to farmers by putting more water in Bear Creek and delivering it but still found it hard to keep up with the growing demand. In addition, the occa- through a system of ditches and canals. This delivery came at a cost however, sional pollywog that appeared from the tap could be a little off-putting. In Ashland, as Bear Creek became channelized, lost much of its wetland habitat and saw difficulties reached a crucial point in 1924, during the extreme drought of that extreme reductions in the amount of downstream water. summer.

16 13 In addition to hot springs, the area had numerous The Popularity of Local Springs and Mineral Waters sources of mineral water including Colestine Natural Mineral Water, near the Siskiyou Summit and Siski- you Soda Springs, located on Emigrant Creek. While irrigation districts were being formed and the Bear Creek Valley was finally beginning to realize its potential as a productive fruit-growing valley, other resi- Siskiyou Soda Springs was later owned by John Mar- dents were beginning to capitalize on another fortunate feature of the valley. The shal Wagner who renamed it Wagner’s Soda Springs area in and around Ashland is home to 11 big mineral springs — the source of and developed a bottling works. Most of the bottled which is based in the volcanic faults that exist deep within the . water was consumed locally though some was deliv- These faults allow water to access heat from deeply buried rocks. As water travels ered by wagon or stagecoach to Hilt, Hornbrook or through the rock layers, it attracts minerals such as boron, salt, arsenic and iron. by railroad to Medford, Jacksonville, Grants Pass, Portland and San Francisco. The water gained popularity as a mixer with liquor, These hot springs have been used for hundreds and even thousands of years for though changing tastes and habits as well as state prohibition in 1916 saw the de- their therapeutic values. Native Americans are said to have believed that the hot mise of the business. The soda springs house itself burned in 1926. springs were not only full of healing power, but that were actually sacred. The early trappers failed to see their value and referred to some of the local springs as Perhaps the most famous local water was Lithia Water, named for its unusually “poison waters.” high content of lithium. This water contains a variety of minerals, acids, and dis- solved salts including bicarbonate acid, calcium, and trace amounts of arsenic By the early 1900s, the area’s hot among others. The prominence of mineral springs reached a peak with the land- and mineral springs were at their slide passage of a bond issue designed to pipe Lithia water and other mineral wa- height of popularity. Big, colorful ters into the city. The bond allowed for railroad posters described Ashland the pipes required to bring Lithia Water hot springs to the crows of tourists, from a springs near the present-day usually from Portland, who would airport into the Ashland Plaza and scurry off the passenger trains to Lithia Park. Around this time, a few cool off in the local pools. local businessmen made an attempt to parlay Ashland and its famous Lithia There were five public Water into an upscale resort town, but bathing pools near Ashland due to various reasons those dreams at that time: Buckhorn never materialized. Springs, off Dead Indian Memorial Road, Colestine Today, visitors can Springs, south of Ashland, still enjoy the unique Helman Baths, off Otis carbonated elixir of Street, Jackson Hot Springs, Ashland’s own Lithia just north of town and the Water at the Gazebo downtown Twin Plunges. in Lithia Park near the Tourists enjoyed the Coles- bandshell and on the Twin Plunges and the Helman Baths (from the tine Baths but locals pre- Ashland Plaza. collection of George Kramer) ferred the Helman Baths.

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